Calls for Applications

Scholarships and Research Grants-in-Aid Highlands Biological Station

The Highlands Biological Station, an interinstitutional center of the University of North Carolina, is pleased to announce the availability of scholarships and grants-in-aid of research for the year 2000 field season. The Station is located in the Southern Appalachian Mountains in southwestern North Carolina at an elevation of 4,000 feet. The region receives 80-100 inches of rain per year and supports a remarkable diversity of life. A recent article in BioScience identified the region as a hotspot for diversity of, among others, salamanders, land snails, trees, and fungi. There is a long and distinguished history of biodiversity studies at the Station.

Facilities include research labs with refrigerators, freezers, ultracold freezers, microscopes, and field sampling equipment; a research library with a reprint collection and subscriptions to many ecological, systematic, and evolutionary journals; an aquatics lab with two artificial streams and several large aquariums; two large, walk-in environmental chambers; and dormitories and kitchens for use by researchers. The Station operates the Highlands Nature Center and the Highlands Botanical Garden, which includes a 5-acre lake. There are numerous tracts of Forest Service land in the area, and the Station cooperates with the Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, a Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) site, which is located 18 miles away.

Grants-in-aid and scholarships are available to predoctoral graduate students and postdoctoral investigators for the support of research on the habitats and organisms of the Southern Appalachians. Preference in making awards is given to projects that involve residence at the Station for four weeks or longer. Support is rarely awarded for more than 12 weeks in a given year. Applications for grants are reviewed by the Board of Scientific Advisors, representing the 33 institutional members of the Highlands Biological Foundation, Inc. Application forms can be obtained from Dr. Robert Wyatt, Executive Director, Highlands Biological Station, P.O. Box 580, Highlands, NC 28741. Alternatively, forms can be downloaded at http://www.wcu.edu/hibio. They should be returned before 1 March 2000. Applicants will receive notification of the decision of the Board by 1 April 2000. Awards are based on the period of residency at the Station in accordance with the following schedule: predoctoral, $250/week; postdoctoral, $400/week. Recipients of scholarships and grants-in-aid are provided research space without charge.

Call for Nominations

2000 Lawrence Memorial Award

The Award Committee of the Lawrence Memorial Fund invites nominations for the 2000 Lawrence Memorial Award. Honoring the memory of Dr. George H. M. Lawrence, founding Director of the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, the Award ($1,000) is given yearly to support travel for doctoral dissertation research in systematic botany or horticulture, or the history of the plant sciences, including literature and exploration.

Major professors are urged to nominate outstanding doctoral students who have achieved official candidacy for their degrees and will be conducting pertinent dissertation research that would benefit significantly from travel enabled by the Award. The Committee will not entertain direct applications. A student who wishes to be considered should arrange for nomination by his/her major professor; this may take the form of a letter which covers supporting materials prepared by the nominee.

Supporting materials should describe briefly but clearly the candidate's program of research and how it would be significantly enhanced by travel that the Award would support. Letters of nomination and supporting materials, including seconding letters, should be received by the Committee no later than 1 May 2000 and should be directed to: Dr. R. W. Kiger, Hunt Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890 USA. Tel. (1412) 268-2434

Educational Opportunities

Highlands Biological Station

The Highlands Biological Station, located in the Southern Appalachian Mountains in southwestern North Carolina, is pleased to announce its summer course offerings for 2000. These courses are taught at the advanced undergraduate-graduate level, and credit for all courses is available through either Western Carolina University or UNC-Chapel Hill.

Costs include a course fee of $362 per 2-week course, charged to all students. Students who wish to register for credit can enroll either through Western Carolina University, $35 application fee and $54 registration fee, or UNC-Chapel Hill, $80 registration fee. Courses may be taken without credit. Housing costs are $37/week.

Positions Available

Systematic BotanyDuke University

Duke University is seeking a broadly trained systematic biologist with research interests in vascular plants, algae, or lichenized fungi for a tenure track position as Assistant Professor. The systematic botany group has a long tradition of research and training in flowering plants, mosses, algae, fungi, and lichens, with strong links to the larger evolutionary biology program at Duke. We are especially interested in candidates who use a combination of collections-based, experimental, and molecular approaches, and whose interests promote interactive links with evolutionary biologists, molecular biologists, and ecologists. The successful candidate will be expected to develop an externally-funded research program, and to participate in teaching at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. More information on our Programs can be found at http://www.botany.duke.edu, http://www.zoology.duke.edu, and http://www.env.duke.edu/index.html. Applicants should provide 1) a CV, 2) a letter detailing accomplishments, future research plans, and teaching goals, 3) reprints of recent papers, and 4) arrange for three letters of reference to be sent directly to: Dr. A. Jonathan Shaw, Plant Systematics Search Committee, Department of Botany, 139 Biological Sciences Building, Box 90338, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708-0338. Tel. 919-660-7372. Review of applications will begin on 15 November, 1999.

Chairperson, Department of Botany and Plant PathologyMichigan State University

The College of Natural Science and the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Michigan State University invite applications and nominations for the position of chairperson of the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology. For full ad, see "Chair Search" at http://www.botany.msu.edu. Candidates must possess an established record of distinguished scholarship, administrative experience, proven leadership and interpersonal skills, excellent communications abilities, and a broad vision of innovative programs in plant biology research, education and extension. Applicants should submit a complete curriculum vitae, and names, addresses and telephone numbers of five references. Every effort will be made to maintain confidentiality until the final slate of candidates is selected. Review of applications will begin February 15, 2000. Please send application materials to: Search Committee, Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1312. Anticipated starting date will be January 2001. Women and under-represented minorities are strongly encouraged to apply. MSU is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer.

Herbarium Curator/Plant TaxonomistDepartment of BotanyNorth Carolina State University

The Department of Botany at North Carolina State University is seeking a herbarium curator/plant taxonomist. Major duties are to manage and improve the NC State University herbarium, identify plant specimens submitted by county extension agents and other clientele, take responsibility for outreach activities of the herbarium, and provide support for documenting research collections and for teaching activities requiring the herbarium. Applicants should have an M. S. degree in Botany or related field with an emphasis in plant systematics, and previous experience in plant identification and herbarium management. Applicants must have strong oral and written communication skills, computer skills, and a commitment to extension outreach. Send a curriculum vitae, statement of career goals, and the names of three references to: Dr. Margaret Daub, Interim Head, Department of Botany, Box 7612, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7612. Phone: (919) 515-2727, FAX: (919) 515-3436, E-mail: margaret_daub@ncsu.edu. Application Deadline: December 30, 1999, or until a suitable candidate is located. North Carolina State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and operates under Affirmative Action Policy. Individuals with disabilities desiring accommodations in the application process should contact Margaret E. Daub at the above address, email, fax or phone numbers.

Frank Smathers, Jr., Chair inTropical Tree BiologyUniversity of Miami

The Department of Biology invites applications from and nominations of distinguished scientists to fill a newly endowed chair at the rank of full professor. We seek an internationally recognized botanist whose research concerns the biology of tropical trees. The candidate must have a Ph.D. or equivalent degree, a strong record of obtaining external funds, and demonstrated ability to attract and supervise outstanding graduate and postdoctoral students. We seek a colleague who will direct a vigorous research program, and who will teach at graduate and undergraduate levels. Departmental strengths lie in Tropical Biology, Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior. The Department has a cooperative relationship with Fairchild Tropical Garden, and is a founding member of the Organization for Tropical Studies.

Applications will be reviewed beginning 15 January 2000. Applicants should send a statement of research interests and plans, curriculum vitae, three representative publications, and the names and addresses of three referees to: Dr. David P. Janos, Tropical Tree Biology Search Department of Biology University of Miami P.O. Box 249118 Coral Gables, FL 33124

The University of Miami is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and minorities are especially encouraged to apply.

Research AssociateAgricultural Products

Duties: Work under supervision to research new environmentally safe agricultural products chelated and complexed from organic and amino acids found naturally in plants and soils. Study the effect of these products on growth and productivity. Study plant, soil and nutrient relationships using hydroponics and field trials. Determine toxicity in plants and soil including virus infection. Study phytohormones and their effect on yield. Study transport and uptake of bacterial virus in plant tissues.

Plant SystematicsUniv. of California, Riverside

The Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, invites applications for a tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant Professor with a title in the Agricultural Experiment Station. The position will be available July 1, 2000. The appointee will be expected to develop a vigorous, innovative, independent research program that employs contemporary methods and analytical tools to address fundamental questions in plant systematics and evolution. Applicants must possess a Ph.D. degree and preferably have 2 years of postdoctoral training in systematics or a closely related field. The successful candidate will teach at the undergraduate and graduate level, and supervise graduate students. We are particularly interested in a scientist who is willing to learn and subsequently teach a course about California flora. UCR is a dynamic, growing institution with an abundance of opportunities for interdisciplinary research and student training facilitated by interdepartmental graduate programs and research centers.

Review of applications will begin December 1st, 1999 and continue until the position is filled. Applicants should send: (1) a curriculum vitae, (2) a statement of research interests, (3) the names and addresses of at least three references to: Dr. Elizabeth M. Lord, Chair, Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521-0124, E-mail: lord@citrus.ucr.edu, Fax: (909) 787-4437

University of California, Riverside is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer

Updated Positions Available:Listings At BSA Website

Current position announcements are maintained on the Botanical Society's website Announcement page at URL http://www.botany.org/bsa/announce/index.html. Please check that location for announcement which have appeared since this issue of Plant Science Bulletin went to press. To post an announcement, contact the webmaster: <srussell@ou.edu>.